Thursday, August 17, 2006

Lord, please don't let me LOSE my mind today!

Update***OH MY GOSH! MY MOM JUST TOLD ME I SPELLED LOSE, LOOSE! ALL DAY IT WAS UP AND I LOOKED LIKE AND IDIOT! UGH!***

I hear screaming in Ava Beth's bedroom. Both of my kids are now crying, screaming and mad at each other. I knew that Josiah would soon run my way and tell me that his little sister had taken his train, his truck or something away from him. "Mommy, sissy just hit me and it hurt!" I looked at him and asked, "Josiah did you hit her first?" He answers, "Yes I did because she took my truck away." By this time Ava Beth has run in crying too. Well she didn't have tears in her eyes at all. I think she was just trying to get in on the action and play on my emotion a little. She put her arms around me and started hugging me and wouldn't let go. She KNEW she was in trouble! It was a moment all of us mothers have. It's the moment you want to laugh as you look at their cute little faces and say something close to this. "Josiah, Ava Beth, we do not hit when we are mad. We do not hit! Ava Beth, do not take your bothers toys away. Josiah you are old enough to come and tell me when she does something to be mean. You don't hit her and you especially do not come in her whining. I cannot hear you when you whine. Both of you change your attitude. Go play. This was your warning. Next time you will both go to timeout." Ava Beth is one and a half years old. Does she understand what I am saying? Well, I think she knows I mean business. But this little girl is always up to something. Josiah runs off and begins to play with his trains but Ava Beth stays behind. So I took this picture of her about one minute after she got in trouble. Sometimes I don't think she cares if she gets into trouble, I think she likes it. What is timeout for someone her age? Well since she is still in a crib, I put her in her crib for a couple of minutes and then go back and explain why she is in timeout. She may not understand everything I am saying, but soon she will.

This was not meant to be a parenting blog post. I am learning everyday how to be a parent. But, it was a moment for me that I realized how I have to parent and discipline consistently almost all day long, especially when they are so close in age. I get tired of being a referee. Sometimes I feel like I am going to loose my mind! But when they have faces like this, it's hard to stay frustrated. That was my blogging point. It's another fun day of parenting! :) Consistency, it's key to my parenting success! Oh and of course PRAYER too. "Lord, please don't let me lose my mind today."

12 comments:

Oh, my goodness I love that t'shirt on your little one. Does it say Grammi's or Mimi's? Now that my kids are 12, 9 and 6 I can't believe I am still saying, "We do not hit when we are mad." I guess either I did not reinforce enough or pray enough. I have been told that some sibling rivalry will occur no matter what. I am so glad that I did have more than one because it is so nice to have constant playmates. They do love each other, even though arguements will arise. Your haircut is so cute. I can't seem to get up the nerve to go short. I am a blogging friend of Robin's and that's how I came across your's.

The sibling rivalry almost drove me nuts when mine were this age. Seems like it didn't stop until they reached their mid teens. (sorry) Just when I thought I couldn't stand another day of it, they suddenly started liking each other. I understand exactly how you feel. But honestly, when they look at you like that, your heart melts. She's a little doll. I couldn't stay upset with her for more than about two minutes.

Okay, so all of you moms are telling me this is NORMAL?! I feel better to know that I am not alone in my parenting struggles. Some days are HARD! But when I get to talk to other women that have to deal with their kids fighting, etc, I feel better!

Funny - I just said the SAME thing to my MIL last night. I was telling her how my DD is getting a bit mouthy and I thought sometimes she "hates" me. She informs me that there were days she didn't believe that her children would EVER make it to 13 alive.. but I married one of them and the other just had her first baby, so I suppose this too shall pass. AND I informed her that she made me feel better. Ironic isn't it that knowing other people's kids act up makes us feel better... LOL!!